grant



y 22, 1956 M. 1.. GRANT Y 2,746,675

FARE BOX Filed July 24. 1951 ATTORN EY M. L. GRANT FARE BOX May 22, 19562 Sheets-Sheet Filed July 24, 1951 INVENTOR.

ATTO R NEY United States Patent FARE BOX 7 Max L. Grant, Providence, R.I. Application July 24, 1951, Serial No. 238,284 2 Claims. (Cl. 232-7The present invention relates to coin collecting devices into whichcoins, tokens and the like may be dropped or inserted, and hasparticular reference to a novel construction for a fare box.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a fare boxconstruction into which a number of coins constituting a fare may besimultaneously dropped, the coins being physically separated as theypass through an inspection area, whereby the fare total is readily notedand evaluated.

Another object of the invention is to provide a fare box constructionwhich physically separates individual fares consisting of one or morecoins as the fares pass through an inspection area, whereby theindividual fares are readily noted and evaluated.

A further object of the invention is to provide a coin passageway in afare box, in which a dropped coin is visible throughout its passage fromthe inlet slot until it passes into a collection box or a coinregistering device.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a fare boxconstruction which permits seeing an inserted coin at the instant of itsinsertion in the fare box.

A further object is to provide a fare box construction which permitscontinuous movement of an inserted coin or coins under the influence ofgravity, while controlling the speed of movement at selected points sothat an observer can visually note, inspect and evaluate each coinduring its movement.

Another object of the invention is to provide a fare box constructionwith a coin inspection channel through which inserted coins pass ontheir way to a collection box or registering device, the speed ofmovement of the coins being momentarily reduced as they enter theinspection channel to permit inspection and evaluation.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a completely visiblecoin passageway in a fare box, whereby insertion of a coin holdingdevice in any part of the passageway, or a collection or piling up ofcoins in any part of the passageway, becomes immediately visible to thefare paying passenger.

With the above and other objects and advantageous features in view, theinvention consists of a novel arrangement of parts more fully disclosedin the detailed description following, in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, and more specifically defined in the claimsappended thereto.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an illustrative fare box embodying theinvention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the front plate and associated parts thereof; I

Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the coin receiving top; and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the coin direction guide.

.The fare boxes and coin drop boxes heretofore used have had a coininlet, into which a coin was inserted or dropped, bafiles over which thedropped coin slid to a coin collection plate, and a collection box whichreceived the coins when the operator swung the collection plate to dropthe coins. The inspection plate permitted inspection and evaluation ofone coin or the coins constituting one fare, but did not permit separateevaluation of several fares, as the swift descent of the coins and theircollective deposit on the collection plate precluded visual separationof the individual fares.

The present day fare boxes of standard type include boxes into whichinserted or dropped coins fall directly on a bottom collection plate, orwhere the inserted or dropped coins traverse a passageway in which theyare entirely or partially concealed until they impact on the collectionplate.

One of the serious handicaps of present day fare boxes for a bus orsimilar vehicle is, that when a number of people get on and drop orinsert their fares, which can consist of one or of several coins, thetime elapsing between the insertion of the coins and their deposit onthe collection plate is so short that the second and subsequent faresheap up or mingle with the first fare so that the individual fares arenot distinguishable.

I have found it desirable to devise a fare box construction which guidesand controls inserted coins so that individual coins and individualfares may be seen and eval uated during their descent from the coininlet to a coin collection plate, whereby the movement of the coins isnot stopped or unduly retarded so as to cause jamming, but the movementof the coins is guided and controlled so that the individual coins andthe groups of coins tonning individual fares are separated and aremomentarily slowed down to permit inspection and valuation.

I have provided a coin movement control which permits detection of thecoins at the instant of their insertion and during their entire movementover an inspection track to a collection plate, and which retards andcontrols the speed of movement of the coins momentarily at predeterminedpoints in its travel, whereby the individual coins hesitate momentarilyand thus give an observer time to inspect and evaluate each coin, andeach fare, during its travel. The preferred coin movement control isaccomplished by using an inclined inspection track along which the coinsroll, the angle of the track being set to obtain a desired speed ofmovement and a separation of the coins, a coin direction guide beingpositioned to receive the dropped or inserted coins and to guide thecoins towards the track at an angle which provides a substantial runwayand impacts the coins on the track so as to create a momentaryhesitation or reversal of direction and movement suflicient tomomentarily slow the coins down to separate the slowed coins, thuspermitting the desired inspection and valuation before the coins againpick up speed on their travel to the collection plate or to aregistering device.

Rendering the coins visible from the moment of insertion and duringtheir travel to the collection plate, has been found of substantialadvantage for preventing the insertion of holding or pilfering devicesinto the fare box, as such devices and resulting jamming and piling upof coins adjacent the inlet or along the coin passage become immediatelyvisible.

Referring to the drawings, the fare box 10 includes an outer housing 11on which a coin receiver 12 is mounted, the upper part 13 of the housingpreferably having an inclined face and the lower part 14 of the housingbeing a coin container designed to house a removable collection box anda coin registering mechanism, if desired, these parts not beingillustrated.

The coin receiver 12, see Fig. 4, has its lower surface 15 shaped toseat on the housing 11, and is preferably rectangular in shape, with acoin inlet 16 which includes an insert opening 17, and guide walls 18forming a guide chamber 19 and converging to a coin exit slot 20. Thecoin receiver is made of transparent material, preferably plastic,whereby a coin becomes visible as soon as it passes the insert opening17. The coin receiver, in the illustrated embodiment, is thus a coindrop, and constitutes a transparent top for the fare box.

A face plate 21, see Figs. 2 and 3, is positioned directly below thecoin receiver 12, and has a rearwardly inclined upper portion 22 and aninclined lower portion 23, the face plate extending across the face ofthe hous ing 11 and being generally at an acute angle to the housing fora purpose hereinafter described.

A coin direction guide 24, see Fig. 5, is mounted on the upper portion22. of the face plate, in position to receive the coins emerging from.the slot 20. The guide 24 includes a left side piece 25, a right sidepiece 26, and a front piece 27, the side pieces respectively havingenlarged downwardly tapering upper portions 28, 29 and lower portions30, 31 with parallel. sides, and the front piece 27 having a forwardlyinclined upper portion 32, as illustrated, the parts being mounted onthe face plate with the side pieces spaced to provide a coin channel 33.The parts forming the direction guide 24 are made of transparentmaterial, preferably plastic, whereby a coin entering the directionguide is immediately visible and remains visible during its passagethrough the direction guide.

As clearly disclosed in Fig. 5, the left side piece has a curved innerface, with its lower portion extending forwardly, and the right sidepiece 26 has its inner face slightly curved, as illustrated, wherebycoins entering into the direction guide are forced to exit from thepassage 33 towards the right and to impact angularly on an inspectiontrack 34.

The inspection track 34 is secured to the face plate 21, and inclinesdownwardly, the angle of inclination being selected to providea desiredspeed for the coins rolling thereon. As shown in Fig. 3, the track isconcave, being slightly curved upwardly, whereby the rolling coins whichtip rearwardly due to the inclination or slanting of the face plate,roll in single line contact with the track and with the face plate, andthereby reduce friction and maintain a self-cleaning clear track. Thenormal accumulation of dust and dirt on the track 34 does not thereforeunduly slow up the speed of rolling.

it will be noted, see Fig. 2, that the coins emerging from the directionguide impact the track 34 at substantially an acute angle, and at apoint adjacent the upper end of the track, whereby the whole length ofthe tracl; is utilized. This impact slows up the coins, and themomentary hesitation causes the coins to initially slowly roll down theinclined inspection track, and then to speed up, whereby the coinsseparate. This separation is assisted by the line contact of the upperedges of the coins with the face plate. The coins are therefore readilyinspected and evaluated as they slide and roll down the track, as theyare easily followed by the eye of an observer. The area above the track34 thus constitutes an inspection passage or chamber 340. The angle ofimpact of the coins on the inspection track and the inclination of thetrack are predetermined so that separate fares are readily inspected andevaluated. Thus, if three coins constitute a fare, the track inclinationis set to provide a greater coin speed than if one coin constitutes thefare, in order to clearly visually separate the fares.

Since fares are normally deposited in sequence in the coin inlet, eachfare, whether consisting of one or several coins, separates out with aslightly greater separation between the coins of the individual fares,and the eye thus sees the separate coins of each fare and also the faresas separate sets. Experience has shown that a bus operator, for example,easily checks on each coin and each fare as the coins roll down thetrack.

As the coins roll down the track 34, they are caused to impact a curvedend guide 35 mounted on the face plate and abruptly reversed indirection to roll down an inclined rail 36 which is preferably alignedwith the lower end of the end guide 35. The rail 36, see Fig. 2, is alsopreferably slightly concave. I prefer to make the track 34, the endguide 35, and the rail 36, which constitute baffies for guiding andconveying deposited coins to the collection box of transparent materialsuch as transparent plastic to ensure full visibility without obscuringview of the coins as they pass through the coin conveying area.

The rail 36 is mounted on a lower face plate 37, see Fig. 2, which ishinged to the housing at 38, the ends of the hinge shaft 39 extendingoutwardly from the housing and being conected to a U-shaped lever 40,see Fig. 1, having a hand engageable tab 41. When the tab 41 on thelever 40 is pushed down, the lower face plate will swing open ashereinafter described.

The coins, leaving, the rail 36 impact a curved guide surface 42 androll down a track 43 to line up in end to end relation on a horizontalcollection track 44 which has an inclined end abutment 45. The change indirection at the end guide 35 and the curved surface 37 also retards thecoins, to facilitate further inspection and evaluation of the coins asthey descend, and the final line up on the horizontal track 44 permitsan extended check on any particular coin.

The surface 42, track 43, track 44 and abutment 45 are preferably formedby a thick sheet 46 of plastic or similar material which is secured tothe sides of the housing 1.1, and the face plate 21 and the lower faceplate 37 are covered by a transparent glass or plastic plate 47, wherebythe coins are completely visible from the moment they are depositeduntil the lower face plate 37 is swung back, at which time they dropinto the lower part of the housing. Further the upper lock bar 48, seeFig. 1, which locks the plate 47 in the housing, may also be made oftransparent plastic, if desired.

it is thus clear that inserted coins are completely visible as they passthrough the coin receiver inlet opening, through the coin receiver guidepassage and exit slot, through the coin direction guide, over theinspection track, over the change direction tracks, and on thehorizontal collection track. The coins are momentarily retarded as theyimpact the inspection track, and are subsequently again retarded as theychange direction, whereby each coin and each set of coins constituting afare, can be inspected and evaluated, and this inspection and evaluationis accomplished while the coins are in free transit from the coinreceiver inlet to the collection track or plate.

Since the upper portion or top of the fare box is transparent, and thecoin passages are visible, the coins are fully visible at all times; itbecomes impossible to insert trapping or hold-back devices or coinremoval devices such as fishing straps or the like into the fare box,without detection. if such devices are made of transparent material,then the coins bunch and jam up at some point in the coin passageway,and thus disclose a restrictive interference with their free travel.

Although I have described a coin fare box, the principles of operationand the structural features disclosed may be applied to any coincollection device, ticket fare box, or combined coin and ticket farebox, as desired.

Although I have disclosed a specific embodiment of my invention, it isobvious that changes in the size, shape. and material of the parts, andin their arrangement and positioning, may be made to meet differentrequirements for fare boxes, without departing from the spirit and thescope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a fare box, a coin receiver having a coin inlet with a narrow exitslot, whereby coins exit therefrom in edge upright position, a coininspection and transfer chamber having an inclined face plate slantingdownwardly and forwardly, and a longitudinally inclined coin inspectiontrack mounted on said face plate, said track being transversely inclinedup'vardly away frorn'said face plate whereby further to cause coins toincline rearward 1y against said face plate, said face plate furtherhaving thereon guide means adjacent said exit slot, said guide meansserving to deflect the upright coins to said track after passage of thecoins from said exit slot whereby the path of movement of said coinsmakes an acute angle with said track just before impact therewith.

2. In the combination of claim 1, said track being concave in transversecross-section.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 6Greer M Jan. 25, Beaman Feb. 15, Beaman Mar. 19, Johnson 2. Nov. 10,Woodward June 29, Mullett Sept. 28, Wolkenhauer Jan. 19, Fry Nov. 6,Wadsworth Dec. 31, Main Nov. 11, Keeler Sept. 5, Coppold July 11,Ingraham n June 16,

